Diplomatic Encounters
by Avalon's Minstrel
Summary: Three months after the Narada incident, the Enterprise is sent to oversee the signing of a peace treaty on Telophon. Of course, things do not go as planned, and Kirk, Spock, and McCoy find themselves in trouble. Rated M for future adult content.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well hello! While I'm not new to fanfic in general, I _am_ new to the Star Trek fandom so I apologize for any errors I may make with regards to custom/technology/etc; if you let me know I'll do my best to rectify any mistakes!

Warning: While it may not be apparent yet, this fic is rated M for future violence and a variety of adult situations.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I only admire and play :)

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**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 1**

As Spock approached the Captain's quarters, PADD tucked neatly under his arm, the muffled hollers his Vulcan hearing had picked up grew even louder, until soon any crew member in the vicinity would be clearly able to hear the noise. Something unusual was going on.

The door whooshed open and Spock stepped into the Captain's spacious but sparsely decorated living quarters to be greeted by the sight of Kirk and Bones knocking back drinks, causing a temporary lull in the raucous noise as they sprawled drunkenly on a pair of armchairs.

"Christ, Bones, need you remind me of that? I thought embarrassing Academy stories were to be saved only for reminiscing drinking sessions."

"And this is what, exactly?" retorted McCoy, his eyebrows scrunched up in a somehow good-natured way.

"This is a celebration of us being big damn heroes! It's been three months since the _Narada_."

"Heroes indeed," muttered Jim's best friend, and just then Spock cleared his throat with a definite hint of irritation at being ignored. Two pairs of hazy eyes turned and blinked in recognition.

"Spock?" Kirk asked, a crooked grin on his face. Spock's arms slid behind his back as he assumed an at ease stance.

"Captain, I apologize for my interruption. I am aware you are currently off-duty, but we have received new orders from Starfleet Command which require your immediate confirmation."

The change in Kirk's demeanor was immediate. He squared his shoulders and straightened, placing the now-empty tumbler on a table and turned suddenly crisp blue eyes to his First Officer. Bones blinked again and looked between the two men, a slight pout on his lips as he realized their impromptu celebration was over.

"Alright, Commander, what are our orders?"

"We are to report to the planet Telophon to oversee the signing of a peace treaty which is hoped to definitively end years of civil war, sir. The situation is considered delicate and our presence will ease the process for the parties involved. A further briefing on the conflict is provided with our orders." Spock held the PADD out for Kirk, who rolled his eyes.

"Diplomatic mission, my favorite," he quipped, but stood to take the PADD from Spock. As he stepped forward, though, he swayed slightly, feeling the effects of his drinking stint despite himself. In an attempt to correct his balance, he tripped over the edge of the carpet and flailed wildly, shouting in alarm as he reeled towards Spock and fell unceremoniously at the Vulcan's booted feet.

Bones hooted in laughter as Spock raised an eyebrow and looked down impassively at the blonde man on the floor, waiting patiently for him to recover. Kirk, for his part, grunted unhappily and got to his feet, snatching the PADD from Spock and tapping it with a determination to make it seem as though nothing had happened. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he read over the briefing, before signing it and handing it back to Spock.

"Sounds pretty straightforward. Put together a diplomatic away team and have everyone briefed on the situation. I'll be on the bridge shortly."

"Yes, sir." Spock turned on his heel and left, leaving Kirk to sink back into his chair and glance sideways at Bones who was grinning cockily at him.

"Well, Jim, I must say I thoroughly enjoy the sight of you at Spock's feet," he teased. "Maybe you could try being less of a clumsy farmboy next time."

Kirk's eyes narrowed but there was a smile on his lips. "Says the evil, hypo-toting doctor. I should have you permanently confined to sickbay; keep your evil safely contained."

McCoy scoffed. "You only ever call me evil after you have this much to drink. I ain't afraid of you – if the carpet took you down then I sure as hell can."

"Wishful thinking, pal. Now go read up on these Telonians while I take a shower. You're coming down with us. I intend to impart every bit of the wonderfully tedious treaty meetings on you, since I can't get out of them myself."

McCoy growled. "Damnit, Jim! You know I – " But Kirk was already heading to his shower, stripping his uniform and undershirt, his muscled back disappearing jauntily and leaving McCoy to mutter furiously as he returned to his own quarters.

* * *

It had been three months since the _Narada_ incident, and the crew of the _Enterprise_ was settling into things with their new Captain and a slew of recently promoted officers. They had, of course, already proven how well they worked together, and a strong sense of camaraderie was beginning to develop. Starfleet Command had been assigning the ship rather conservatively since the incident, and this most recent mission was no different.

Telophon was inhabited by a native, humanoid species. The Telonians were long-necked and burly, appearing almost twice the size of the colonial humans living in cities throughout the main continent. For decades, the Telonians and colonials had lived in an uneasy peace; lingering resentment remained from the colonials' early days as they had received significant aid from the United Federation of Planets. The hope had been to foster economic development which would lead to trade links between the two societies and thus prosperity for both. The lingering resentment had led to the planned slaughter of the entire colonial government by the Telonians, leading into a full-scale civil war which had lasted for years.

The impending treaty was the result of over a year of diplomatic efforts already made by Starfleet. The _Enterprise_, as the Fleet's flagship, was being sent to honor the parties on such a momentous occasion in their history; it would double as a deterrent to any further outbreak of force by disgruntled radicals from either party.

* * *

Spock was studying a console at his station on the bridge when the Kirk swept in, looking worlds better than just an hour before. He flashed the crew a smile.

"Lieutenant Sulu, report."

"Sir, we are en route to Telophon. Arrival will be in thirty-five minutes," the pilot responded smoothly.

"Lieutenant Uhura, are they expecting us?"

"Captain, I have informed both negotiating parties of our arrival. They have requested our presence at a welcoming banquet in honor of our arrival and the impending treaty," Uhura informed him. Kirk nodded.

"Alright, let's have the boarding party meet in the transporter room in half an hour. Be ready to be at your most pleasant, people!" With that he left the bridge as briskly as he'd entered. Spock assumed it was to return to his quarters and brief himself further on the peace treaty negotiations. One could never be too informed on sensitive missions such as this, and as Captain, Kirk was especially required to be abreast of the situation. He turned back to his console and continued his own study of the situation on Telophon.

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A/N: Abrupt ending, I know. I'm still a bit rusty, and wanted to gauge interest. I'm already working on the next chapter, so it should be up soon! Reviews are appreciated :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 2**

The away team would consist of Kirk, Spock, an unwilling and disgruntled-looking McCoy, Lieutenants Uhura and Sulu, and Ensigns Harvey and McAllister as security detail. Minutes before the _Enterprise_ was slated to arrive in orbit over Telophon, the team met in the transporter room where Scotty and his crew were ready to beam them planetside. Kirk confirmed that everyone understood the situation and their specific duties as impartial observers, then the team took up positions on the transporter pad.

"Alright, Mr. Scott, the ship is yours. Take good care of her until we're back," and Kirk winked at Scotty who grinned back.

"Understood, Captain. An' good luck to ye." He saluted, confirmed they were ready, and then Kirk and the others could feel a familiar tingling sensation as they dematerialized and left the room in silence.

The team rematerialized in a very similar-looking transporter room on Telophon. They were in New Anglion, a town on the outskirts of the area settled by Terran colonials and where in fact a small number of Telonians had already moved since peace talks had begun. The distance of the town from the power centres of either party made it an excellently unbiased location to hold negotiations; the cohabitation of the two races was also a good climate in which to come to an agreement.

Kirk stepped to the fore of the _Enterprise_ group and quickly looked over the small group assembled to greet them. There were three humans; the leader was a tall, authoritative-looking man with gray hair and dark eyes. The two men standing slightly behind him seemed to be aides of some sort. There were only two Telonians present, and both appeared to be female; even so, they towered above the humans, their necks long and elegant with wide violet eyes that blinked rapidly. Their build, while remaining feminine, was almost fearsome in that it rendered them significantly larger and stronger than anyone else in the room.

One of the Telonians stepped forward and extended a hand to Kirk, who accepted and felt his enveloped by the other. He'd been prepared for the Telonians' larger size, but the two females in front of him were unexpected. He wondered if the males were even larger than these two, and quickly gained a new appreciation for the colonials for lasting so long in a war in which they were already outnumbered.

"Greetings," the Telonian spoke, and her voice was like a soothing whisper. She was still blinking far more often than any of the humans, and Kirk decided that as an attribute it was extremely disconcerting; humans subconsciously perceived rapid blinking as deceptive. "I am Elin, and my companion is Sharin. We are representatives of the Telonian negotiating party."

"Captain James T. Kirk of the _Enterprise_," he responded confidently, and repeated the greeting to the other party, whose leader introduced himself at Councilor Mathiasz. Kirk introduced his crew and managed to sneak in a meaningful look at McCoy, who tried to right his unhappy scowl.

"We are honored that Starfleet has sent their most distinguished and promising Captain," Mathiasz began. "There are some who would wonder whether your promotion has come too soon, but I for one have great admiration for your part in the recent events with that Romulan ship, and welcome you sincerely to Telophon."

Kirk bristled a bit at the insinuation that he was too young for his command, but couldn't ignore the blatant compliment, and tried out his best gracious smile as he thanked the man. Damn, but he regretted blowing off so many of his diplomacy classes at the Academy.

Mathiasz was continuing. "We have quarters set up for you, and if you like, my aides will show you to them. There is a banquet beginning shortly, and we would be delighted if all of you will attend. Tomorrow we commence our meetings." At that, he inclined his head and excused himself, and the Telonians followed suit. Mathiasz's two aides motioned for the team to follow them, and they wound their way through a series of hallways before being shown a modest but comfortable set of rooms. The aides left then, reminding them that someone would be by to escort them to the banquet hall shortly.

"What do you think, Spock?" It already seemed so natural for Kirk to ask Spock's opinion on unknown situations like this. He found it far too easy to trust this man he'd wanted to strangle just months before, and already considered himself lucky to have such a First. As Spock considered his reply, Kirk and Bones lowered themselves to some of the chairs available. Harvey and McAllister took up positions by the door, and the others followed the Captain's lead in finding seats.

"While I do not believe we have had adequate exposure to come to a strong conclusion regarding the situation, I perceive that both parties are doing their best to ensure that we see everything is going smoothly." Spock tilted his head to better regard the Captain. "This may be for reasons as innocent as to put us at ease in a potentially fragile situation."

"Or it may be because they're planning something devious that'll make this mission way more trouble than it's worth," interjected McCoy darkly.

Kirk rolled his eyes and already wondered if his attempt at torturing Bones was backfiring. "Honestly, Bones, it's not like I asked you to strip and dance for these people. So you can knock off the doom and gloom attitude."

"You got it, _sir._ But don't come whinin' to me when they double-cross us." Bones crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, apparently done with the discussion for now. Kirk looked over at Uhura and Sulu, who'd remained silent so far. Uhura looked annoyed at the interaction going on while Sulu merely looked mildly entertained.

"Well, we've got a job to do. And creepy aliens or not, we're gonna do it. Without being double-crossed. For once." Kirk grimaced and decided it was better to just stop talking. Luckily, no one besides Spock had as of yet complained about him acting less than the polished, professional Captain. Key word being yet. He _was_ still getting used to it, though.

Just then, a Telonian they hadn't met yet – this one was male, and definitely bigger than the females – appeared at the door.

"Captain, I am asked to bring you to the banquet hall. The meal is ready." This one's voice came across as a whisper, just as Elin's had, sounding almost melodic in its softness. Based on speech alone, it seemed impossible that this species could be responsible for the slaughter of the entire colonial government. But Kirk didn't need his Academy training to know better than to trust appearances alone.

"Well, let's be on our way then." The team of seven followed the Telonian, Kirk actually having to tilt his head back in order to look up at the back of the being's head.

The banquet hall was just as one would expect, a long, high-ceilinged room with an enormous table that sat the _Enterprise_ team and at least ten representatives from both parties. Kirk again plastered on what he hoped was his pleasant, peacekeeping smile, and ensured he was seated near Spock in case of a diplomatic emergency. Even McCoy seemed able to temper his scowl, especially when drinks were offered around. Maybe a nice dinner and drinks wouldn't be too bad, after all. Kirk looked around and saw his crew visibly begin to relax. These were formalities they understood. They could be polite, eat and drink and make conversation. This would be fine.

Mathiasz seemed immensely intrigued in Kirk's history. He continued to pepper the Captain with compliments on his career achievements while querying him on everything from where he grew up to what made him decide to enlist in Starfleet. Kirk had to think fast to come up with something other than "I was drunk and beaten in a bar fight, then Pike dared me to do better than my dad."

Elin, who was sitting across from Kirk while Mathiasz was to his left and Spock to his right, seemed content to listen as Mathiasz continued what Kirk thought of as a polite interrogation. Nonetheless, the man was quite obviously an admirer, and he didn't want to slight him within an hour of their arrival, so Kirk was on his best behavior. It may have been his imagination, but he could almost feel approval radiating from Spock – or maybe it was just a change from the Vulcan's usual implications of complete disapproval with everything Kirk did.

McCoy, Uhura, and Sulu, meanwhile, were sitting together further down the table and were being entertained by stories from their escort to the banquet, whose name they'd learned was Arlin. Harvey and McAllister had stuck together and were discussing security organization for the meetings with a native of New Anglion.

Suddenly, McCoy called over to Kirk. "Captain! Arlin has suggested we take a walk to the old temple just outside of town. It's supposed to be quite a view at night." It didn't come as a surprise that the crew would jump at the chance to be out in the open air.

Kirk looked over at Elin, then Mathiasz, who were both nodding. "It is one of our oldest and holiest sites, and would be an enjoyable outing, I am sure, after spending so much time on your ship. We would be delighted to escort you when you have finished your meal."

As they finished eating, Elin and Mathiasz filled Kirk and Spock in on what Arlin had already told the others. The temple had been built shortly after the colony had been formed, and was a symbolic joint effort made by both species to lead to further cooperation. It incorporated mostly spiritual elements from the Telonians, as the colonials were hoping to learn more about the native customs of their new home. An open ceiling also allowed for a spectacular view of the night stars. It was this that Elin and Mathiasz particularly wanted to display for their visitors.


	3. Chapter 3

**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 3**

The temple was beautiful: much larger than the team had been expecting, and perched on a rise with lush forest growing all around. The underbrush crackled delightfully under their feet as they made their way to the entrance and the night air was crisp but not uncomfortably cold. Unfamiliar constellations shone above them, and the noises of strange night birds sounded through the trees.

"The temple is best experienced individually," Elin's whisper echoed off smooth rock walls. "That way, your experience will be personal and that much more meaningful." Spock nodded thoughtfully as he moved forward first and McCoy, watching his movements, could practically hear the word "fascinating" echoing in his brain.

Kirk was admiring some carvings in the temple when a blast rocked through the building and he was thrown to the ground.

"_What –_ " Kirk grunted as his head hit the floor. Muffled shouts emerged everywhere as a wall collapsed and smoke billowed in, quickly obscuring his view. To Kirk, time seemed to slow as he made out Spock and McCoy, rushing towards him with their phasers drawn. Arlin was sprawled off to his right, unconscious or worse, and Mathiasz was yelling something about rebels as his own security detail bundled him away.

"Stay close," Kirk snapped as he scrambled to his feet, and Spock and McCoy followed him as he made his way along the wall that was still standing. He made it to the rubble, fearing that someone had gotten caught beneath it, and sure enough, he felt an angry knot in his stomach as he saw a red-sleeved arm – _Oh God, not Uhura_ – peeking out from beneath a pile of broken stone.

"Captain!" Kirk whirled as he heard her voice. Uhura was stumbling towards him, clutching her left arm over a rip in her uniform sleeve. Okay. So that meant he'd lost either Harvey or McAllister. He clenched his phaser tighter and tried not to wonder what the hell this meant for the treaty negotiations tomorrow.

"Uhura. Have you seen Sulu or the Ensigns?" His voice felt hard on his tongue; there was sweat on his forehead and dust and grime was already settling. The knot in his stomach was demanding to know which of his crew had been killed, who had done it, and _why_.

"Sir, Sulu and Harvey were with Elin and Sharin; I saw them leaving right after the explosion. I told them to go, that we could get out ourselves but they had to get to safety," Uhura gasped for breath and Kirk placed a hand on her uninjured shoulder.

"Good work, Lieutenant. I want you to go find them; you're injured." She seemed about to protest, but he cut in, "Don't start with me, Uhura. That's McAllister under there, and I need to find out who did this. No one hurts my crew without answering to me." His blue eyes were stormy and dark, and Uhura only needed one look at them before nodding and hurrying away.

"What the hell, Jim!" McCoy burst out suddenly. "What _is_ this?" Kirk had turned and was busy trying to dig through the rubble to get to McAllister, but it soon became clear that neither he, nor all three of them together, would be able to get her out. He turned to face McCoy and Spock.

"Whatever it is, it's not good." And then Kirk felt a prick in his chest. He looked down to see the tail end of a silver dart sticking out of his gold uniform and frowned unhappily. This also seemed not good.

"Jim!" Bones dashed forward and ripped the thing out of Kirk's chest, but two more appeared in his shoulder, just as another barrage his Spock in the thigh. "Get them out! They're tranq darts!"

"That would seem evident, Doctor," Spock murmured as he bent to pull out the darts in his thigh.

"Shut up, you, and get to cover!" McCoy was dragging a confused-looking Jim around the pile of rubble in search of a safe place to regroup.

"Bones!" Kirk suddenly exclaimed. "I've been hit!" The doctor sighed as he realized whatever drug it was, was affecting Jim far quicker than Spock, who currently crouched beside them and was peeking around the stones trying to get a look at their attackers.

"I know, Jim. Just try to keep it together, will you? We're kind of in a situation, in case you didn't notice."

Kirk sighed melodramatically. "You have a _terrible_ bedside manner Bones, you know that? I could be dyin' here and you're hidin' behind some rocks." Bones glared at him. "Right. Situation. Gotcha. I can do this." His eyes were beginning to glaze over, but Kirk remained the cocky Captain as he gripped his phaser, peered around the rock like Spock had, and fired a few warning shots.

"This is Captain James Kirk of the _Enterprise_! I demand you hold your fire and explain what is going on here!" He turned to Bones and in a whisper asked, "Tha' was pretty good righ'?" Bones frowned at him, wondering how long he'd last before the drug claimed him. He didn't have any of his supplies on him, so was completely unable to help the man. Spock was also watching the Captain, appearing unaffected by the darts that had struck him but knowing it was now only a matter of time.

There was no answer, and Bones worried that their attackers were just going to wait it out for his two companions to collapse. He didn't like the possibilities that followed that line of thought. For one, they didn't even know who it was that had attacked them. Both Mathiasz and the Telonians had seemed to get out of the temple pretty quick after the explosion.

"Captain, if we do not act fast we will both be rendered unconscious, and we are not yet aware of our attackers' intentions," Spock spoke up from his position opposite Kirk.

"Damn it!" Jim cursed in frustration. He blinked a few times and ran a hand over his face, then turned back to the edge of the boulder. "This is Captain Kirk of the _Enterprise_! I demand – "

"You demand nothing, Captain Kirk," came the now-familiar Telonian voice, but this time it was harsher, louder, and angry. It was also definitely male. "You will lower your weapons and step forward immediately."

"I don' think so!" shouted Kirk before thinking. "We're pretty comfortable back here." He accented that with a few more shots in the voice's direction, and was rewarded with a pained shout, quickly cut off. He grinned at Bones. "Got one!"

"Unfortunately, Captain, I believe there are a great deal more," interjected Spock. "Might I suggest that we – " but he cut himself off, shooting a hand out to steady himself against the boulder. "Captain, the drug is beginning to take effect. I am afraid I am rapidly losing control of my motor functions."

Bones drew his gaze back to Kirk, suddenly realizing that if Spock was beginning to lose it, then Jim should have been out cold a while ago. It was the sheer force of the man's will keeping him conscious this long. Suddenly Jim turned wide blue eyes on his friend.

"Bones!" he said almost imploringly. "The bastards killed McAllister, and I can't even fight 'em off properly! Can't you help?" A pang struck Bones as he saw how desperate Jim looked. More than anything else, he knew Jim couldn't bear being rendered helpless. He also knew how much Jim hated being drugged in any way, and it made him shiver with sudden fury that he wasn't able to help when he should have been. He gripped his phaser and pushed Kirk out of the way, leaning around the boulder and delivering long string of shots.

An answering shot rang in from a completely different direction, the primitive bullet-like projectile ripping into Bones' shoulder as he let out a surprised cry of pain. Some of the attackers had been sneaking around and now had a better angle on the three men. They had also apparently abandoned the tranquilizer strategy.

"Captain Kirk, you will surrender, or our next shot will strike his head," came the cold voice once more. Bones gripped his bleeding arm and glanced apologetically at Kirk, who was shaking his head in confusion as though he couldn't understand quite how this had happened.

"Fine," he croaked, barely loud enough for them to hear. "Fine." As drugged as he was, he still understood there was no way in hell he would knowingly allow his crew to be harmed. In one smooth motion he stood with his arms raised, wavering only slightly, and tossed his phaser at the waiting Telonians. Then his eyes promptly rolled back in his head and he collapsed; Spock's reflexes in catching him were all that kept his head from colliding with the stone floor for the second time that evening. The Vulcan's eyebrows were furrowed together as though debating internally with himself, but the drug soon claimed him as well, and he slumped back against the boulder. Bones rolled his eyes through his pain. How Spock managed to be graceful even in unconsciousness was beyond him.

The doctor stood and looked around him warily, as the Telonians advanced with victorious smirks on their faces.

"Damn it all to hell."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: First I'd like to thank my lovely first reviewer, Potterwatch! That was probably one of the most detailed and wonderful reviews I've ever gotten; I'm glad you enjoyed :)

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**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 4**

Bones had remained conscious the entire uncomfortable journey to wherever the hell they were. They'd restrained him first, roping his arms behind his back uncomfortably; he'd remained silent, figuring they wouldn't be too impressed with him informing them of the potential nerve damage that could occur as a result of knotting the rope too tightly. Then he'd watched as the bastards had manhandled Kirk first, then Spock, bundling them up efficiently. Two Telonians had taken a man each and easily slung them over their shoulders. Bones grimaced as Jim's head lolled limply and forced down the rising sense of unease within.

"Move," one had grunted at him, shoving him along so that Bones had stumbled in an effort not to fall on his face. He'd decided to try for some information.

"You know, whatever you guys are trying to achieve, taking three Starfleet officers captive and killing another isn't the generally accepted way of going about it."

They ignored him.

"The Captain in particular doesn't take well to jumped-up crazies using him as a bargaining chip. You sure as hell ain't gonna get what you want from him."

The one that seemed to be in charge turned and sneered at him. "Your Captain will give us what we want. Do not fear, Doctor McCoy."

Bones raised an eyebrow. They knew who he was. What was the significance of that? He hadn't been involved in the preparations for their arrival here; he'd just shown up because Jim had told him to. So knowing his name could be as simple a matter as their hearing the news of which Starfleet officers would be overseeing the negotiations. Or it could mean that these people had done their research and that this was a heavily premeditated attack. Bones really, really hoped it was the first one.

"Just what is it that you want, anyway?"

They were continuing on foot through the forest and seemed to be heading further away from the path they'd followed from town. Bones focused on trying to keep himself aware of their location relative to that of the temple and town; despite his best efforts, though, he found himself wishing Spock was conscious and able to mentally map it out. He again felt that nauseating sense of anxiety but cursed under his breath and firmly pushed it down.

"Doctor McCoy, I have a feeling you already know what we want."

Bones' heart fluttered but he kept a steely look on his face. "You don't want the peace treaty to be signed. You want this war to continue."

The beast grinned. "Congratulations, Doctor! That fine Academy training was not wasted on you, it seems." He leaned in close and Bones gagged at the stench of hot breath on his face. "I am eager to test the limits of some of the best men your Federation has come up with."

Bones knew the next thing he wanted to ask – _how are you going to use us to cause the treaty to fail?_ – but a large part of him didn't want to hear what this particular Telonian had to say about that. He ground his teeth and marched on, grunting occasionally as his follower decided to give him an emphatic shove.

The march continued for what seemed like hours. Bones could feel his blue Starfleet uniform sticking to him uncomfortably as he sweated despite the cool night air. The cover of darkness was ominous, his feet were blistered and in pain, and he had long since lost feeling in his fingers due to the tight ropes. Kirk and Spock were still hanging from their captors' shoulders, but Bones suspected that the drug would be wearing off for both of them soon enough.

After a good half hour of strongly resisting the urge to ask "Are we there yet?" the party reached a small building that looked to Bones like nothing more than an innocent cabin in the woods. After being shoved inside, however, he quickly realized it was simply the entrance to an enormous underground compound. It had to be a base of some kind for whoever these Telonians were – rebels? Radicals? Terrorists? Then Bones swallowed hard as he realized that they hadn't even bothered to blindfold him for this. As though they didn't expect him to ever leave.

Without thinking, Bones planted his feet and bent at the waist, ducking under the Telonian that has been following him, and planted a solid kick in the being's back. He followed it up by rushing forward and shouldering the surprised being in the ribs, before another strong pair of arms wrapped around his chest and squeezed.

It didn't take long for Bones to wheeze and gasp for air as he struggled weakly against arms almost twice the size of his. The wound on his shoulder was jarred and hot pain flared down his arm.

"You bastards!" he ground out as he was thrown to the ground and air rushed back into his lungs. "You think I'm just going to willingly follow you down there?"

"I think that was a foolish stunt, Doctor," said the leader calmly. "You have accomplished nothing. You see, we do expect you to willingly follow us down there, because you will not leave your friends, even if we allow you to walk free at this very moment."

Bones growled, but he knew the Telonian was horribly right. It would be up to Uhura and the others to work on having them released, and if it came down to Kirk and Spock or the others from the _Enterprise_, he knew that these two would be the ones in need of medical attention. Besides, he would never be able to leave his best friend behind, in one of these situations he seemed almost to thrive on getting himself into.

So he pushed himself to his feet unhappily and waited, glaring around at all their captors equally. The one he'd attacked decided to maliciously grip his injured shoulder and propel him forwards, beneath the ground and into the compound.

It didn't take them long to reach the end of a surprisingly bright and sterile-looking hallway, where a holding area was located. It was a small, square room, completely empty save for chains attached to the walls, which Bones noted would seriously complicate any escape attempts if they were used. Sure enough, the Telonians dumped Kirk and Spock unceremoniously on the smooth floor before kneeling to attach rough shackles to each of their wrists. Bones' newfound friend took great pleasure in squeezing his shoulder once more before slamming him against the wall, watching as he slid to the ground in a daze. As his pain-filled vision cleared, Bones saw the shackles being attached to his wrists as well. The leader looked down at him impassively.

"We will return once your friends have recovered, Doctor."

* * *

The world was a pounding, echoing mass of pain. His mouth was fuzzy and his throat worked to swallow. God, was he hungover? No, that couldn't be right. He'd been on duty. On a planet, not the ship. He remembered that for sure, the slight pang of jealousy every time he had to leave his ship in someone else's hands, no matter how much he admired Mr. Scott's similar love of the _Enterprise_.

So if he wasn't hungover, then what?

"…_Jim?_ _…hear me?_" Damn, his head hurt. Almost like he'd been…

"Drugged!" Kirk slurred the words off his still-fuzzy tongue and shot up to a sitting position, which caused him to grip his head and groan as the world spun painfully.

Bones watched his as his friend's pain and confusion quickly coalesced into an understanding of their situation. Everything was flooding back, and his face was getting stonier by the second.

"Yes, Captain. It would seem the Telonians drugged us with a strong sedative. We are currently being held underground." Spock was awake too, and seemed already much more aware than Jim.

"How'd you know that?" Bones demanded. "You were out cold, too." Spock just looked at him, an eyebrow raised. Bones decided not to pursue it and turned his attention back to Jim, sitting between them.

"You weren't hit with those damned darts, right?" Jim was stretching stiff arms across his chest as best he could while being hampered with the chains, but his bright blue gaze was on Bones' face questioningly. "What happened?"

"What happened is you two got carried like a damned pair of princesses while I was forced to trudge miles through the forest to this underground _lair_ where we now find ourselves," drawled Bones in a mix of sarcasm and spite as he pulled his boots off and rubbed his aching feet before turning to examine his bleeding shoulder.

Jim noticed the wound and his eyes narrowed. "I thought that shot just nicked you."

"Yeah, well, I pissed off one of our Telonian pals and he thought it'd be funny to see how much extra damage he could cause to it with his meaty paw," Bones muttered as he picked a ripped shred of his uniform out of the bleeding mess. "If this gets infected he'll have hell to pay."

Kirk grinned despite himself at his friend's attitude. He turned and looked over at Spock, who'd been listening quietly in a semi-meditative state. The Vulcan had stiffened, though, and he returned Kirk's look with a slight wrinkle between his brows.

"There are footsteps approaching, Captain."

Kirk nodded silently and pushed himself to his feet, ignoring as best he could the restraints on his wrists. At the very least, he was going to face these people like a goddamn Starfleet Captain.

* * *

A/N: Well that turned out to be a very McCoy-centric chapter…it just happened that way. I've got to give some attention to Uhura et al, but there will definitely be some more Kirk and Spock coming in the near future!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Big thanks to my reviewers so far: Potterwatch, TheGreatSporkWielder, and Jo! I agree with you guys.. I need more reviews! Lol, enjoy :)

* * *

**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 5**

Uhura looked down as the wound on her arm was patched up and the New Anglion doctor scanned her vitals once more before smiling at her.

"Everything looks fine from here, Lieutenant Uhura. You're free to go."

She nodded and hopped lightly to her feet, thanking the doctor and walking briskly to the door where one of Mathiasz's aides was waiting.

"We have somewhere to be," she said grimly. The aide nodded and motioned for her to follow as they wound through still-unfamiliar hallways. They finally arrived at a conference room and entered to find Elin and Sharon, Mathiasz and the head of his security personnel, as well as Sulu and Harvey discussing the attack on the temple that evening. Uhura felt her hands clench into tight fists at her sides with frustration that she hadn't been here from the beginning.

"I apologize for the delay," she said smoothly and slipped into an empty seat before scanning the assembled group with a fierce gaze. "What is there to report?"

Sulu looked at her with an unreadable gaze, almost as though he was gauging what her reaction would be, as Elin cleared her throat to speak.

"The attack was orchestrated by a group of Telonians who have been mostly absent from peace talks thus far. During the war," she seemed to blink even more frequently as she hurried out the information, glancing nervously at Mathiasz, "they were considered our most formidable group of fighters. Their leader is Khralin. Under his command, the regiment used guerilla-style tactics, but their choice of targets often put them at odds with the rest of the forces."

Mathiasz broke in. "They chose our weakest points – villages of the young, pregnant, and infirm who had been left undefended as all others had been sent to fight, and the villages were considered far enough away from the battle lines."

Elin nodded and bowed her head slightly. "Khralin's regiment disappeared for weeks at a time on raids. They would circle, observe, strike and move on. But they were particularly noted for their appetites in…playing before they would kill." Uhura thought her heart would stop, but Elin pushed on. "Our highest-ranked commanders tried to rein him in but in the end, no one could control Khralin and he continued to torture and kill. When Starfleet arrived initially to help create a ceasefire, he was enraged but overwhelmed by their numbers and backed down. He retreated to a hidden base he'd created for his regiment, and seemed to have accepted that the war was over."

"Until now," Sulu stated dryly. Uhura glanced gratefully at him for giving her time to recover and ensure her voice would be steady when she spoke.

"The Captain and the others?"

Elin's eyes had a mournful tinge as she answered. "They have not been found, and we must assume that Khralin has taken them hostage. We can only guess it is for the purposes of disrupting this treaty, but I assure you, he acts without the consent of the Telonian population. And I am personally most sorry and ashamed that this has happened – "

"It is not your fault," Uhura stopped her with a steely tone. "Starfleet, as a peacekeeping and humanitarian organization, is intimately aware of the chaos that can be created by men such as Khralin. We will do our jobs, we will get them back safely, and we _will_ observe the signing of this peace treaty." Her eyes blazed with a mix of barely restrained fury, fear, and pride.

Sulu smiled tightly and nodded in approval. "Mr. Scott has been notified of the situation and has placed me in command of retrieving the Captain. He will be beaming down a security team shortly. We can assume that Khralin will contact us at some point with demands, so until then our primary task will be determining the location of that base." Uhura had to bite her lip to refrain from protesting that there must be more they could do. She knew as well as Sulu did that they were both new to this. The helmsman was doing exactly what they had been taught to do in such a situation, and frankly, Uhura couldn't think of a better plan at the moment than running out to the forest and searching for them herself. For now, they would have to settle for gathering information and questioning what Telonians they could find, hoping to locate Khralin's base.

* * *

Spock and Bones had followed Jim's lead, getting to their feet as the door to the holding area slid open. Three Telonians entered; the one Bones had pegged as the leader, the one he'd attacked, and a third, equally as big and nasty-looking. Jim, upon looking them up and down, determined that Elin and Sharin had been angels of their species. While they had the rapid blinking in common, these three had ugly scars adorning their faces and torsos, a wide array of weapons strapped to their bodies, and slight snarls that displayed their teeth menacingly.

"James Kirk," began the leader. "I am Khralin."

"And I'm _Captain_ James Kirk," snapped Jim. "Wish I could say it's nice to meet you. What is it you hope to achieve by taking hostage three Starfleet officers sent to ensure peace on your planet?"

Khralin was casually eyeing the three men before him. "I merely wished to make the acquaintance of such a _hero_ of your Federation." He spat the last word as though it was poisonous, and Jim frowned at the vehemence in the being's entire posture. "I have heard a great deal about you, Kirk, and since taking an interest in you have learned even more. Your father's legacy, for instance." Bones' eyes darted over and saw a barely restrained flinch in Jim's clenched fists. "And your unusual friendship with members of your crew. Some would say such an attitude in a Starfleet Captain is bordering on unprofessional."

That was the second time in less than 24 hours that someone had hinted that he was anything less than a damned amazing Captain, and Jim allowed a quiet growl to escape him. Khralin just laughed and introduced his two cronies, but Jim ignored him and decided he'd call the hulking masses Dumb and Dumber.

Khralin continued. "The peace talks will break. They will do so because you will break, James Kirk. You will beg for death in the end, and it will be broadcast for all of Telophon and your pathetic crew to witness. We Telonians will finally eradicate the human blight on our planet and show your Federation that we will bow to no such ridiculous organization!"

Bones cursed under his breath and Spock raised an eyebrow, but Jim didn't move. He was actually beginning to frighten Bones with this sudden eerie calm. Kirk's eyes were locked on to Khralin's, conveying every ounce of disdain and contempt he felt for the Telonian's attempt to cow him with fear.

"You won't succeed," he said quietly, in a voice hard with conviction. "Whether you kill me or not, my crew won't allow their mission to fail." He paused and rolled his shoulders back as though to stretch before a workout. "And if you think you and your IQ-challenged pals can break _me_, you've got another thing coming, you fucker."

Now both Spock's eyebrows were raised, and he seemed to want to speak, but held himself back. Bones rolled his eyes but couldn't contain a surge of worry and anger that Jim was just going to make things worse for himself. The man just didn't know how to keep his mouth shut, and this definitely wasn't following the techniques they'd learned for hostage situations at the Academy. Then again, his instructors should have known that Jim wasn't the type of person to try to initiate peaceful settlement negotiations, especially when being held against his will.

Khralin laughed, seemingly well pleased. "So you will make this fun, James Kirk! As I had hoped." He tilted his head towards Spock, and Dumb and Dumber moved to grip his arms. They removed his shackles from the chain on the wall and drew them together tightly behind his back. The Vulcan's shoulders were pushed back uncomfortably, causing his chest to push forward against his blue uniform. His face remained impassive and his dark eyes stared straight ahead, but as he was pushed forward they flickered over to Jim, who'd finally lost control of his still calm and had rushed forward as far as his restraints would allow.

"Khralin, what are you doing? I thought you wanted me; you have no use for my men! Leave them be!" his voice was even but peppered with anger and frustration as he realized what Khralin was doing.

The Telonian held up a hand and the men holding Spock stopped him; in the space of an eyeblink he'd unsheathed a wickedly curved dagger and was holding it to Spock's pale, exposed neck. A muscle in the Vulcan's cheek worked slightly, but he neither moved nor made a sound.

"If I have no use for your men, then you will not object to me killing them?" a grin spread across Khralin's face as he stroked the dagger along Spock's neck almost tenderly.

Kirk's eyes burned at the sight of Spock held so precariously; Bones, observing him as best he could from a distance, could see his breath coming in short, harsh bursts.

"You will not kill him," he ground out quietly.

"Why should I listen to you, little Kirk?" the dagger was now caressing the skin behind Spock's delicate pointed ear. His even breath was causing fog to appear on the edge of the blade. Khralin turned his large, blinking eyes to Jim. "If you want me to spare him – for now – you will sit with your back against the wall and I will take him with me, without any further annoyances from you." The Telonian licked his lips. "Can you do that, little Kirk?"

Fucking bastard was playing with him, Bones thought. If this went on any longer, Jim looked fit to rip those chains right off the wall and strangle Khralin with them. The man was actually shaking with fury at his current situation, blue eyes hard as ice. He hesitated only momentarily before backing up slowly, his back stiff as it bumped the wall lightly; his eyes never left Khralin's. He sunk to the ground just as slowly, leaving his knees bent in front of him. That seemed to content Khralin, who nodded again at the others as he returned his blade to its sheath, and he left, Spock being pushed out behind him.

As soon as the door shut on them, Bones opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it again as Jim jumped to his feet again and delivered a lightning-quick series of punches to the unforgiving wall, allowing a quick shout of anger. He then began pacing the few steps in either direction his restraints allowed him.

"Damn it, Jim, it's not the wall you should be punching," chastised Bones, but far more gently than he was wont to do. "Let me see your hands."

Jim scowled but moved over closer to Bones, holding his hands out so the older man could reach them. "Shit, Bones, this is not good. We need to get out of here, right the fuck now. And I need to kill that damn shit-for-brains Khralin."

Bones said nothing for a moment, his fingers drifting lightly over Jim's as he gently assessed the damage and wiped away traces of blood. He looked up at his friend, still grasping his hands, and nodded.

"I know, man. And if anyone can do it, it's gonna be us. Spock'll be fine, don't you worry – that pointy-eared bastard has more fight in him than he lets on. Remember when he roughed you up good on the bridge?"

A ghost of a smile crossed Jim's face, quickly obscured by a look of stubborn worry and guilt. "Thanks, Bones."

* * *

A/N: Okay, next chapter: time to see if I can write some convincing Spock!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry this update took so long; I was busy studying for my last two exams, and then the Christmas craziness came around! Enjoy!

* * *

**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 6**

Spock had a chance to crane his neck around and briefly examine the holding area's locking mechanism before his jaw was wrenched forwards and he was dragged roughly down the corridor after Khralin. He saw that it would be difficult, but not impossible, to activate it from inside, and determined to notify the Captain when he returned. It seemed logical that they would keep him alive at least for now, as they seemed to be politically motivated and needed to utilize the full force of the leverage they had just obtained.

After turning a corner Spock was able to see their destination: a room slightly larger than the one they'd just left. It resembled a medbay; sterile, clean, and well-lit. Spock found himself forced to his knees in the centre of the room, and decided to stay there for the time being as the two Telonians backed off slightly. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that they remained stiff and alert, as though expecting him to lash out at any minute – despite the fact that his arms were tightly bound behind his back.

"Commander Spock," began Khralin slowly, as though savoring the words on his tongue. "I must admit, you are the first Vulcan I have met."

Spock tilted his head slightly to have a better view of the being standing above him, but kept his face calm and refrained from speaking.

"I have heard much of your species, however: your control of emotions, your strength and unique physiology, not to mention your touch telepathy." Here Khralin paused and turned a particularly unfriendly smile down at Spock. "Tell me, Spock, how developed is your capacity for this fascinating Vulcan trait?"

Spock raised an eyebrow. "I do not see how answering such a question would be advisable given my current circumstances."

"So you refuse to answer? Very well then; a more primitive route perhaps. How developed is your capacity to suppress pain? This is another Vulcan trait I have been very intrigued to see for myself." Khralin then gestured towards one of the Telonians who stepped forward and drew his knife. Spock pressed his lips together as the Telonian approached, but the knife was merely used to neatly slice open and remove his blue uniform tunic. There was a momentary silence as his pale chest rose and fell evenly, waiting for Khralin's next move.

"Not even a little tremor of fear to show me, Spock?" Khralin was taunting, trying to draw a reaction, but Spock had been through far worse, even as a child. His Vulcan peers had been far more knowledgeable of his personal weaknesses than this hulking alien being before him.

A backhand across his face drew Spock's attention solidly back to the room. Khralin's massive hand gripped the back of his head and jerked it back so their eyes locked, inches apart.

"Do you know what the human colonists here did when they captured our soldiers in the war, Spock?" He sneered, not at all put off by Spock's silence. "It's an old punishment from Earth's history. Amazingly simple, yet very effective. I have broken many a human prisoner by turning their methods right back on them." A pause. "You are not at all curious, Commander?"

"I believe I will find out regardless of my interest," was Spock's cool reply. Khralin was grinning as he stepped behind Spock and trailed dirt-stained fingers over the bare skin of his captive's back. There was no flinch as the leather tails of a whip were dragged gently in their wake, no harsh inhalation of breath as the first strike contacted with his back. Spock's dark gaze was focused on the wall ahead of him, and he worked at keeping his back ramrod straight as blow after blow rained down upon him so that his back was dotted with harsh welts and droplets of green blood blossomed.

When Khralin stopped, it was to regain his breath, and his fury grew at seeing that Spock was unfazed and breathing as calmly as he'd been before. He kicked out with a booted foot, connecting solidly between Spock's shoulder blades, so that the Vulcan was knocked forcefully onto his face.

"So, they do not lie about you Vulcans," Khralin spat. He stepped forward and ground his foot into Spock's cheek, pinning his face firmly to the floor. "Of course, from what I know of our mutual friend Captain Kirk, he does not take kindly to his crew, especially those to whom he is as close as he is to you, being damaged. Hmm?" He moved back a pace and freed Spock's cheek, allowing him to work himself slowly back to a kneeling position.

"Despite what happens to his crew, the Captain will not allow your plan to succeed or our mission to fail," affirmed Spock, his voice slightly thick from swollen lips and tongue. "You have miscalculated."

Khralin crouched before Spock and smiled, as the Vulcan raised an eyebrow in what could be interpreted as an expression of distaste. The Telonian held out a hand and one of his followers handed him the same curved blade that, Spock reflected silently, he had seen quite enough of lately.

"I would like to show you the emblem of my regiment," Khralin began thoughtfully. "All my loyal followers bear it on their chests as a mark of honor. For you, I think, it will represent something quite different." He smirked slightly and pressed the tip of the blade to the soft skin of Spock's chest, digging into the skin so that as he drew the mark, blood trailed down in thin rivulets. Spock's eyes flicked upwards and the skin around them tightened slightly. Khralin knew that it wasn't the burning pain of the knife that had given him this victory over the Vulcan's stoic bearing but rather the indignity his pride was suffering at being marked as his captors were. He stood and eyed the blade with satisfaction, still smirking down at Spock, and turned to the others.

"I believe that will suffice. You can return him now." With a sudden abruptness, Khralin strode from the room, leaving the two Telonians to grip Spock firmly and lead him away.

* * *

"Jim," muttered Bones, breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen between them. He'd heard the footsteps approaching again.

"I know," Kirk answered tightly as he got to his feet again, expecting another confrontation with Khralin and trying to bury his worry for Spock. Bones followed suit and rolled up his sleeves; Kirk tried to ignore why he would be doing that.

It was almost a disappointment when the door slid open and Khralin wasn't present, but that meant Kirk's full attention snapped directly to Spock, who stumbled slightly upon seeing his crewmates and visibly composed himself as he was ushered back to his original position and restrained as before. The Telonians had left the room before either man could muster something to say.


	7. Chapter 7

**Diplomatic Encounters, Chapter 7**

Bones cursed colorfully and instinctively moved towards Spock's seated form, his fingers twitching involuntarily as his restraints stopped him several feet away. Jim, who was chained between the two, was able to kneel at Spock's side and place a bracing hand on his still-bare shoulder. A quick assessment showed Spock's back had stopped bleeding but the welts glowed an angry red. The crude mark on his chest was still weeping blood as Spock turned his eyes to Jim.

"Captain, I was able to briefly examine the door's locking mechanism as I left. I believe it is possible to, with some time, deactivate it from within, and –"

"Jesus, Spock, I don't care about the locking mechanism right now!" Jim's eyes burned and he shook his head in frustration, glancing back at Bones for a moment. "What did Khralin say? What do they want? And what the hell is _that_?" He gestured at the cuts.

"He did not seem to desire any knowledge, Captain; although he did mention he had not yet met a Vulcan and was curious about certain aspects of our biology." Spock's voice was calm as ever, but Jim's eyes narrowed as he realized Spock hadn't answered his last question.

"Jim," Bones broke in softly, "I can't reach him. You need to clean those wounds as best you can."

Jim blinked, then nodded and swiftly removed his shirt, leaving his black undershirt on but tearing a strip from the gold tunic. He shifted closer to Spock and began gently cleaning the blood away.

"Spock," he murmured but with firmness in his tone, "tell me what this is."

Jim felt a tightening in his gut as he saw a sudden rush of shame shining in Spock's eyes. With no other change the average person wouldn't have noticed, but Jim had quickly learned to detect the nuances of human emotion escaping his first officer, and he knew that Khralin had struck a nerve with his impromptu branding.

"It is the mark of their regiment," Spock answered tightly. "All his men wear it; he was searching for a reaction from me after the first attempt failed."

Bones glowered, and Jim's visibly hardened with resolve. "This bastard doesn't know who he's dealing with, Spock. He won't win, and he certainly won't be able to outrun Uhura because god knows she's running everyone ragged right now to do their best and get us the hell out of here, yesterday." Spock's lips lifted slightly in a show of comfort and thanks as he thought of Uhura, and he leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes in an attempt to rest and heal.

* * *

Spock had fallen into a healing sleep and a sullen silence had once again descended upon Jim and Bones when Khralin returned with four followers this time, to have both conscious men led away with their wrists tied behind their backs. Jim had struggled silently, not wanting Spock to be roused or to draw attention to him, but not willing to go easily either. His glare could have burned a hole in Khralin's back with its intensity as he and Bones were led with a firm grip on each elbow.

They entered a spacious, seemingly multi-purpose room and were dragged to a far corner, where Jim immediately noticed chains hanging from the ceiling. He wondered at these Telonians' fascination with them and stiffened at the thought that to account for such organization, the restraints must be used rather frequently.

In the quick second between having his wrists released and having them reattached to the chain above his head, Jim kicked out with a leg and ducked to ram a shoulder into the belly of one of his Telonian guards. He followed it up with a wicked combination of punches as both Telonians worked to restrain him; they succeeded moments later as one caught Jim in a headlock and the other wrenched his wrists up into the air. Despite Jim's quick attack, the Telonians seemed unflustered, confident that their larger size would allow them to keep their captive at bay.

"Kirk, my friend," said Khralin as he waved his followers back a few paces and stepped in front of Jim, clasping his hands thoughtfully behind his back. Jim narrowed his eyes as he realized Khralin was staying just out of range of a well-placed kick, and worked his wrists back and forth in the tight shackles, searching for a weakness but unsurprised to find none.

"I hate to break it to you, but cutting your terrorist symbol into my first officer's chest loses you any right to call me friend. It's marked you as a dead man as far as I'm concerned."

Khralin laughed, a harsh, short note. "Then I fear you will not be pleased with what I do next. This is for attacking my men." He stepped to the left, where Bones was bound as Jim was. Forming his enormous hand into a fist, he delivered a dead-on punch to Bones' cheek, followed by two in succession to his exposed abdomen. As Bones was gasping in surprise for the air that had been knocked out of him, Khralin's hand snaked out and around his throat, squeezing so that Bones was unable even to wheeze as he was slowly suffocated.

Jim was shouting and thrashing as he tried to regain Khralin's attention, and his stomach dropped as he saw the color drain from his friend's face. Then, as suddenly as Khralin had attacked, he released Bones and stepped back, crossing his arms in satisfaction.

"Bones?" Jim felt his throat clench as he waited for Bones to finish coughing and regain his breath. "Bones!"

"'m alright, Jim," Bones muttered quietly. "Cool it."

Jim was furious as he turned back to the Telonian, completely disregarding Bones' last suggestion. "What's your game, Khralin? You slice up one of my crew and strangle another? And you think that's going to make me _cooperate_ with you?" He left unvoiced the question of why the Telonians hadn't roughed him up yet, considering he was, after all, the Captain and leader of the diplomatic efforts Khralin was attempting to ruin.

"I am demonstrating your helplessness in this matter, Kirk, and will continue to do so until I feel that you are ready to send a message to your compatriots in New Anglion." Bones wheezed as Khralin circled and clapped him forcefully on the shoulder, rattling the chains that bound his arms. Kirk's thoughts were whirling in slight panic as he began to understand where the Telonian was headed. "I wonder, for instance, what you would be willing to do to save your doctor friend here?"

"Save him from what?" Bones growled, earning him a slap hard enough that his head whipped to the side. Opening his eyes, Bones saw Kirk's bright blue ones boring into his, managing to convey a silent message that only he would understand. Of course, Bones would have known Jim was apologizing for what was about to happen without needing to see it, along with a wrenching sense of guilt, in his best friend's eyes.

"Khralin," Kirk began with a deep breath. "You don't want to do this. We can negotiate, come to an agreement – if you harm any of my officers further you will cause irreparable harm to Telonian-Federation relations."

"Is that really the best you can do, Kirk?" demanded Khralin with a sneer.

"You let my hands free and I'll show you the best I can damn well do," Kirk snapped back. "Thought you were supposed to be some kind of seasoned warrior, but here you are chaining up your captives and beating on them while they're helpless. You pathetic coward."

Bones watched in anxious silence, knowing that Kirk was trying to draw Khralin's anger and attention away from him. It wasn't a surprising phenomenon to anyone who knew Kirk well, but that didn't mean Bones had to like the damned tactic. In mere months of service on the _Enterprise_ he'd already patched Kirk up more times than he liked to count.

It seemed Kirk had achieved his goal as a frightening look crossed Khralin's face. He stepped up to Kirk, gripped his blonde hair and pulled so Jim's head was held back at an excruciating angle, ignoring the man's rasping breaths.

"We're going to play a game, Jim Kirk. I will release you from the restraints and you will be able to face my men. If you can take them down, I will let your men go free. But to add a twist, there will be a…consequence, we will say, for every offensive move you make." Bones rolled his eyes and shifted his feet restlessly as he watched Jim attempt to speak, fail to produce anything more than a croak, then twitch his neck irritably in a gesture of acceptance. Khralin released his head and Kirk's throat worked to get his voice back.

"What kind of consequence?" was the first thing he asked, his eyes darting to Bones.

"You will see," Khralin answered as he waved Dumb and Dumber to an open area large enough for sparring, though Kirk knew this would be far more than a simple sparring match. The Telonians removed their weapons and tossed them aside, waiting a few feet apart.

Khralin had pulled a captured Starfleet phaser from his belt and trained it on Kirk as he deftly released his hands. He then waved Kirk forward, watching with a calm grin as Kirk rubbed his wrists and stepped warily towards the waiting Telonians. He quickly positioned himself in such a way that he had a view of Khralin and Bones over the hulking shoulders of his opponents.

"No need to waste my time, Captain," drawled Khralin lazily. "Get on with it."

Bones never ceased to be amazed by Jim Kirk, and it was no exception now as he watched his friend pull on his familiar cocky fighting attitude with ease. Jim dropped slightly into a combat stance and began slowly weaving towards one of the waiting Telonians, careful to always be in unpredictable motion. It was agonizing to keep his mouth shut, but Bones could see from looking at the massive aliens that Jim didn't need any distractions right now, so he watched in unhappy silence.

Kirk knew he could take these bastards down. It'd be tough, but he'd been through worse, and with far more alcohol in his system to boot. He shot the closest one a crooked grin and tapped his chest before spreading his arms wide.

"Come on, sweetheart, daddy's waiting," he goaded, and tossed a wink in for good measure just as the Telonian growled and sprang forwards.

Kirk ducked the swinging arm and lashed out with a punch of his own, swiping his opponent's cheek before dancing away lightly. His head whipped sideways as he heard a dull noise followed by a muffled gasp; Khralin had delivered a sucker punch to Bones' left side.

"Bones – " Kirk began anxiously as he suddenly realized the implications of Khralin's "consequences", but cut himself off to hurl himself sideways before a Telonian fist could impact with his face. He ducked and rolled, springing to his feet a safe distance from the first Telonian but found himself forced to throw an arm up to block an attack from the second, who had apparently decide to speed things along.

He grunted and fell back a step at the brute force in the blow, his arm a blinding mass of pain from taking the hit.

"Jim!" Bones' voice seemed more angry than pained, which was a good sign – for now. "Don't be distracted, just take the bastards out!"

"Shut up, Bones, I'm concentrating," Kirk shot back, his eyes darting for weaknesses as he spun and landed a kick to one of the Telonians, doing his best to ignore his peripheral vision as Bones was struck in the chest. "Just tell me when, goddamnit!" With adrenaline and fury running through his veins and the harsh buzzing in his ears, it was slightly easier to accept that for every hit he landed on his opponents, Bones would take one in return. He hoped to god Bones would understand that "when" meant when he couldn't take any more hits, and that the only reason Jim was allowing this to happen was that he had a chance to get his men sent free. There was no way in hell he'd let that opportunity pass.

* * *

A minute later, Jim allowed himself to think that things were going relatively well. He could sense one of his opponents weakening and knew he could drop him with a well-placed hit, which left just one more. A glance at Bones showed he was holding up alright, but blossoming bruises caused a surge of guilt and made Jim even more determined to end this as quickly as possible.

With a high-kick to the face, Jim crowed in triumph as one Telonian went down in an unconscious heap. He retreated for a moment to catch his breath and size up the other, but his attention was drawn again to Bones as his friend let out a surprised yell of pain and jerked away from Khralin; Jim knew immediately that wasn't a reaction to a punch. He could see even from meters away that Bones was struggling to remain quiet. His limbs jerked uncontrollably and he was gasping for breath. Khralin, meanwhile, was holding a long, thin object, the end of which was crackling with restrained electricity.

"Khralin, what the fuck –" Jim was cut off in horror as Khralin pressed the object to Bones' skin again, causing an agonized cry that pierced Jim to the core. Bones slumped in his restraints, barely conscious, as Khralin turned impassively to face Jim.

"I've raised the stakes. It's up to you to guess how much more the good doctor can take before his heart gives out completely." He glanced appraisingly at the remaining Telonian, who seemed ready to go a few more rounds and was wearing a cruel smile. "I don't mean to interrupt, of course. You may continue."

Kirk snapped his gaping jaw shut and turned slowly to the advancing alien. His body was positively vibrating with tension, fists clenched and eyes narrowed. He'd known the instant he heard Bones' raw voice how this was going to end, and every fibre of his being screamed against allowing their captors to win this way.

"Fine, princess, let's see what you've got," he taunted, stepping forward with a grin plastered on his face. He'd be damned if he'd let Khralin see him looking beaten, and he was glad that at least Bones was too far gone to witness the beating he was about to receive.

The Telonian stepped forward and matched Kirk's careless grin before delivering an uncontested blow to Kirk's solar plexus that knocked him bodily to his knees. Immediately, he tried to get up, but a hand gripped his hair and dragged him gracelessly across the floor, before a flurry of kicks and punches rained down. It took all Kirk's willpower not to resist, went against the very grain of who he was, but he'd be willing to do almost anything to not have to hear Bones in pain like that again. It was his CMO's disapproving gaze that swam in his vision as the world went blissfully dark and his aching body reached the relief of unconsciousness.


End file.
